Floor cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS WITH A CLEANING TOOL, FOR INSTANCE, A MOTOR DRIVEN SWEEPING ROLLER, AND WITH A DETACHABLE DUST COLLECTING CONTAINER, THE INLET OPENING OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED WITH A TOOL RECEIVING COMPARTMENT WHILE THE OUTLET OPENING OF SAID DUST COLLECTING CONTAINER IS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE SUCTION OPENING OF A SUCTION DEVICE, THE DUST COLLECTING CONTAINER FOR COLLECTING SWEEP-UP DUST AND THE SUCTION DUST COLLECTING CONTAINER BEING INTERCHANGEABLE WHILE THE INLET OPENING OF SAID SUCTION DUST COLLECTING CONTAINER FORMS AN OPENING FOR RECEIVING A SUCTION HOSE OR THE LIKE, SAID SUCTION DUST COLLECTING CONTAINER BEING CLOSED WITH REGARD TO THE APPARATUS COMPARTMENT CONTAINING THE TOOL.

mi 9 w71 P. WORM/AG FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1970 S U T m Gm AP WA Rm I ON W A E .L PC R O O L F mi., WH

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1970 In mentor f ma, 9, WW P. WORWAG FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 QV p WORWAG llf FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M! r--w L 1M In Vemorf United States Patent M 3,618,158 FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS Peter Wrwag, Stuttgart, Germany, assignor to Progress- Elektrogerate Manz & Pfeiffer, Stuttgart-Botnang, Germany ]Filed .lune 8, 1970, Ser. No. 44,408 Claims priority, application Germany, June 6, 1969, P 19 28 713.9 Int. Cl. A471 /32 U.S. Cl. -332 17 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A iloor cleaning apparatus with a cleaning tool, for instance, a motor driven sweeping roller, and with a detachable dust collecting container, the inlet opening of which is adapted to be connected with a tool receiving compartment while the outlet opening of said dust collecting container is adapted to be connected with the suction Opening of a suction device, the dust collecting container for collecting sweep-up dust and the suction dust collecting container being interchangeable while the inlet opening of said suction dust collecting container forms an opening for receiving a suction hose or the like, said suction dust collecting container being closed with regard to the apparatus compartment containing the tool.

' The present invention relates to a floor cleaning apparatus with a cleaning tool such as a motor driven sweeping roller and a detachable dust collecting container, the entrance opening of which, is adapted to be connected to a chamber which receives the tool while the exit opening of said dust collecting container is adapted to be connected with the suction opening of a suction device.

Floor cleaning machines are known which are designed as pure sweeping machines with dust withdrawal and which, when using a corresponding accessory, can be used as non-sweeping vacuum cleaner. These machines are so designed that at a special suction connection, a suction hose can -be inserted. For insertion of the suction hose, a slide has to be actuated in order to free the connection opening. By means of said slide, simultaneously the suction connection to the cleaning tool is closed, and a friction clutch in the driving connection between the motor and the cleaning tool is disengaged. This design is rather complicated and is expensive to manufacture, particularly when considering that only a limited clientele will take advantage of the double use possibility of the machine.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a floor cleaning apparatus of the above mentioned type which will be simple in construction and operation and can likewise be used, whenever desired, exclusively as a vacuum cleaner.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a vertical longitudinal section of a iloor cleaning apparatus according to the invention with a collecting container for the sweptup dust.

FIG. 2 represents a section taken along the line lI-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the floor cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1, but with inserted dust collecting container.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the floor cleaning apparatus according to FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 shows on a somewhat larger scale than FIG. 3, the dust collecting container of FIG. 3 in section, said section being taken along the line V-V of FIG. 7.

3,618,158 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 FIG. 6 illustrates on a larger scale than FIG. l, the collecting container for the swept-up dust in section, said section being taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 7.

FI-G. 7 is a side View of the dust collecting container of FIG. 6 as seen in the direction of the arrow VII of FIG. 6.

The door cleaning apparatus according to the present invention, which is provided with a cleaning tool such as a motor-driven sweeping roller and a detachable dust collecting container, is characterized primarily in that the container designed as container for the swept-up dust is exchangeable for a container receiving the dust picked up by the apparatus when used as vacuum cleaner while the entrance opening of said last mentioned container forms a connection opening for a suction hose, said last mentioned container being closed with regard to the tool chamber. Thus, with the apparatus according to the present invention, the entrance opening for the swept-up dust and the entrance opening for the suctioned dust are provided at separate dust collecting containers which may be employed selectively in conformity with the intended use of the apparatus. As a result thereof, the floor cleaning apparatus can be designed so that it represents a particularly simple implement and no ditliculties are encountered when converting the apparatus from one type of use to another type of use.

According to a further feature of the invention, the connection opening is provided at a side which faces away from the cleaning tool, and more specifically, at the upper side of the suction dust collecting container. Preferably, said connection opening is provided in the front range of said suction dust collecting container so that the suction hose can, in a particularly simple manner, lead away from the apparatus.

Expediently, the connection opening it formed by a tubular member which is connected to the container wall and is of a conical design while extending into the container. This assures a safe and space saving connection of the suction hose by merely plugging in the latter. Advantageously, in a wall of a housing of the apparatus there is provided an access opening which is in alignment with the connection opening and preferably is adapted to be closed so that the connection opening of the suction dust collecting container can easily be found even when the container is completely arranged in said housing. This connection opening in the housing is closed by a cylindrical insert of preferably circular cross section when the suction dust collecting container is not in use. This insert preferably forms one piece with the collecting container for the swept-up dust and is provided with sealing elements which after exchanging the suction dust collecting container for the container for the swept-up dust automatically and in an airtight manner close the opening in the housing of the apparatus.

In order to be able easily to remove the respective dust collecting container from the housingr of the apparatus, there is provided an access opening in a covering, which may be designed as a tiltable cover on the housing of the apparatus.

For purposes of obtaining a particularly effective flow of the swept-up dust, the dust collecting container, preferably the front side thereof, is provided with a protruding tool chamber which may also be provided on the suction dust collecting container for storing the cleaning tool in a protective manner.

According to a simple design of the apparatus according to the invention, the partition between the dust collecting container and the tool chamber, with the container for the swept-up dust preferably in the upper range there is provided a break-through or passage to form the entrance opening whereas with the suction dust collecting container the partition is closed.

Expediently, the inlet opening of the container for the swept-up dust is in the immediate vicinity of the cleaning tool parallel to the latter so that within the region of the cleaning tool, a strong suction air flow can be realized.

The exit opening of the dust collecting container is preferably provided on the rearwardly inclined back wall while the suction opening is located in a Wall, preferably a partition, of the housing of the apparatus, which partition is inclined in conformity with the rear Wall of the dust collecting container so that by insertion of the dust collecting container it is possible in a simple manner to realize a tight connection between the exit opening of said last mentioned container and the suction opening.

In order to realize an effective filtering of the suction air ilow, lter elements, preferably exchangeable lter elements are arranged in the dust container and in the suction opening.

A particularly advantageous further development of the apparatus according to the invention consists in that the cleaning tool can occupy a non-use position in which it is preferably the suction collecting container. In this way, it will be assured that the cleaning tool will not operate when the iloor cleaning apparatus is used solely as vacuum cleaner. Advantageously, in this connection in the path of movement of the suction dust collecting container during the insertion thereof, there is provided an actuating member which moves the cleaning tool into its non-use position so that a particular handling for mov ing the cleaning tool to its non-use position is not necessary. Advantageously, also in the path of movement of the container for the swept-up dust there is provided an actuating member which, during the insertion of said last mentioned container, moves the cleaning tool to its Working position so that correspondingly automatically during the insertion of the container for the swept-up dust, the cleaning tool will be moved to its working position.

A simple design of the apparatus according to the nvention is obtained by forming the actuating member as a pivotable lever which is preferably linked to the inner side of a side wall of the housing of the apparatus. Advantageously, a cam of the two-arm pivotable lever is located in the path of movement of an abutment of the suction dust collecting container While a lifting cam prO- vided on the other arm of said pivotable lever is located below a pivot arm carrying the cleaning tool so that when the suction dust collecting container is inserted, the cleaning tool will be positively lifted upwardly oif the cleaning plane.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a floor cleaning apparatus according to the invention which comprises a housing 1 provided with a partition 2 which separates the interior of the housing into a motor blower chamber 3 and a dust collecting chamber 4. In the motor blower chamber 3 there is provided a driving motor 5 with a horizontal transverse axle which is coupled to a suction blower and together with the latter forms a structural unit. In the dust collecting chamber 4 there may selectively detachably be arranged a collecting container 6 for the swept-up dust in conformity with FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, or a suction dust collecting container 8 in conformity with FIGS. 3 and 5.

Furthermore, in chamber 4 there is provided a cleaning tool 7 which is driven by motor 5 through belts 9 and 10 and a stepped pulley 11. This cleaning tool may be in the form of a beater roller, a brush roller or a combination of beater roller and brush roller.

The rearwardly inclined back wall of each vacuum cleaner container 6 and 8 respectively is provided with an eccentrically located exit opening 12 for suction air which, when the dust collecting container is inserted, is in alignment with an opening 13 in the partition 2. This Opening 13 is in communication with the suction side of the blower and thus forms a suction opening. A lilter 14 forming an additional filter is provided in the suction opening 13, whereas in the dust collecting container 6, 18 within the range of the exit opening 1.2 thereof there is exchangeably arranged a filter 15 by means of which the soil carried by the suction air ilow into the dust collecting container 6, 8 is separated.

The upper side of the dust collecting chamber 4 is formed by a cover 16 which may, for instance, by a hinge band be pivotable about a horizontal axis, said hinge band being linked to the partition 2. For purposes of removing the dust collecting container 6, 8 from the housing 1 of the apparatus, the cover 16 is pivoted upwardly.

Each dust collecting container 6, f8 has its front side provided with a protruding chamber 34 formed by three walls for receiving the cleaning tool 7. This chamber 34 is, fwith the collecting container 6 for the swept-up dust, in communication with the interior chamber of said last mentioned container through an opening 16a which extends parallel to the cleaning tool 7 and in the immediate vicinity thereof. The inlet opening 16a is formed by a passage in the rearwardly inclined front wall 35. If it is desired, by means of the floor cleaning apparatus according to the invention, to clean a iloor or a floor cover, the apparatus with the structure according to FIG. 1 is employed. The soil loosened by the cleaning tool 7 is, by means of the suction ilow of the motor blower 5, conveyed through the inlet opening 16a into the interior of the dust collecting container. By means of the tilter element 15, the dust contained in the air allow will be separated. During the cleaning operation, the apparatus is moved over the surface to be cleaned.

The cleaning tool 7 is rotatably journalled in the front end portions of two lateral pivotal arms 30. Arms 30 are pivotable about the axis of the stepped pulley 11 and are linked to the inner sides of the said Walls of housing 1. Belowvat least one of said arms 30 there is provided a lifting cam 32 located between the pivot axis of said arm and the cleaning tool 7. Lifting arm 32 is provided on the outside of the front arm of an angle lever 31 which is linked to the inner side of a wall of the housing il. Provided on the inner side of the other arm of angle lever 31 is an abutment cam 33 which will not be engaged when the collecting container 6 for the swept-up dust is inserted so that the cleaning tool `7 will remain in its working position according to FIG 1.

Arranged at the upper side of the collecting container for the swept-up dust, according to FIG. 6, is an insert member 30 which preferably consists of one piece with said last mentioned collecting container and which advantageously has the shape of a circular cylinder. This insert member 30 is, as to position and size, so selected that it extends into an opening 20 of the cover member 16 and fills the latter with regard to height and also With regard to width. Expediently, the insert member 30 is provided with a sealing element 31' so that an `airtight closure of the opening 20 in the cover part 16 will be assured. The purpose of the opening 20 in the cover member 16 will now be explained.

If it is desired to employ the floor cleaning apparatus according to the invention merely as vacuum cleaner, the apparatus will be employed with its structure as shown in FIG. 3. The collecting container 8 for the suctioned dust has a counter abutment, not illustrated, in the path of movement of which there is provided an actuating cam 33 when the suction dust collecting container 8 is inserted in the housing 1. `When inserting the container 8 into housing 1, thus the cam 33 will be moved downwardly so that the angle lever 31 will be pivoted, and the lifter cam 32 will pivot the arms 30 and thereby the cleaning tool 7 upwardly into the non-use position shown in FIG. 1. The cleaning tool 7 will then be protectively located in the tool chamber of the suction dust collecing container 8 and will be in disengagement with the floor surface to be cleaned so that the cleaning tool as well as the iloor surface is protected. The front wall 35a of the suction dust collecting container 8 is closed toward the tool chamber 34. The container 8 and, more specifically, its front region has its upper wall provided with a sleeve-like tubular member 22 inserted into the container 8. Said sleeve-like section 22 extends into the container 8 and has a connection opening 21 for the plug 18 of a vacuum cleaner hose. In alignment `with the connecting opening 21, the cover 16 of housing 1 has an access opening 20. The suction ow passes from the non-illustrated nozzle at the end of the vacuum cleaner hose through the sleeve 22 into the interior of the suction dust collecting container 8. The air flow passing through the openings 12 and 13 and tlowing to the motor blower is, by means of the iilter element 15, cleaned of the dust contained in said airow. The floor cleaning apparatus, as a rule, remains at one and the same place. For purposes of moving said apparatus over the oor surface to be cleaned, a handle, not shown, may be pivotally connected to the joint portion 23. The front portion of the apparatus is provided with a skid 24 by means of which the apparatus rests on the oor surface to be cleaned. The skid 24 has a preferably rectangular longitudinal opening through which the cleaning tool '7 extends to engage the oor surface to be cleaned. The rear portion of the device has two supporting rollers 25 by means of which the apparatus rests upon the oor and can be moved thereover.

Each container 6, 8 comprises two parts which are held together by a suitable connecting element, for instance by a detachable clamp 27. The rear portion 26, 28 of the dust collecting container 6, 8 is at its separating section sealed by sealing elements against leakage losses. The rear portion 26, 28 of the two dust collecting containers 6, 8 may be identical in design and thus will be exchangeable. In`order to be `able safely to keep the dust collecting container 6, 8 in the housing 1, one end of the clamping element 27 is designed as an upwardly protruding spring element 29 which, when the housing cover 16 is closed, will in a non-illustrated manner engage the inner side of said cover and will thus be resiliently resting against the housing cover 16.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular showing in the drawing, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A floor cleaning apparatus, which includes. housing means having a rst compartment and a second compartment, tool means rotatably arranged in said first compartment for engagement with the surface to be cleaned, suction means arranged in said second cornpartment, motor means drivingly connected to said tool means and to said suction means, first dust collecting chamber means for collecting dust swept up by said tool means, second dust collecting chamber means for collecting dust suctionedin by said suction means, either one of said -iirst and second dust collecting chamber means being selectively individually and alternately insertable into and removable from said housing means, said second dust collecting chamber means having inlet means for receiving suction hose means and being closed with regard to said first compartment when inserted in said housing means, and said iirst dust collecting charnber means including passage means for establishing communication between said first compartment and said first dust collecting chamber means when the latter is inserted in said housing means.

2. An apparatus according to claim` 1, in which said inlet means of said second dust collecting chamber means is located in a wall of said second dust collecting chamber means which is remote from said tool means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, in which said inlet means is located in the front portion of said second dust collecting chamber means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said inlet means of said second dust collecting chamber means includes tubular means extending into the interior of said second dust collecting chamber means and having an inner conical surface tapering toward the interior of said second dust collecting chamber means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said housing means has a wall provided with an access opening arranged in alignment with said inlet means of said second dust collecting chamber means when the latter is in its inserted position in said housing means, and closure means for selectively air-tightly closing said access opening when said apparatus is used as a mere sweeping apparatus only.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said access opening is provided in a lid linked to said housing means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said closure means forms a part of said first dust collecting chamber means.

8. An apparatus according to claim` 1, in which either one of said first and second dust collecting chamber means when inserted into said housing means forms a part of said first compartment.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said tirst dust collecting chamber means when inserted into said housing means has its front `wall forming a part of said first compartment, the upper portion of said front wall being provided with a longitudinal passage forming said passage means and being located in the vicinity of and at least approximately parallel to the axis of said tool means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said second dust collecting chamber means when inserted into said housing means has its front wall forming a closed partition between the interior of said second dust collecting chamber means and said first compartment.

11. An appaartus according to claim 1, in which both said rst dust collecting chamber means and said second dust collecting chamber means have a rearwardly inclined rear wall of substantially the same angle of inclination with a discharge opening therein for communication with said second compartment when the respective dust collecting chamber means is in its inserted position in said housing means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, in which said second compartment has a -front wall inclined in conformity with said rearwardly inclined rear wall of either one of said dust collecting chamber means and provided with a suction opening for communication with said discharge opening of either one of said dust collecting chamber means in inserted position in said housing means.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, which includes pivotable means pivotally journalled on said housing means and operable to move said tool means into and out of engagement with the floor to be cleaned, said pivotable means including means operable automatically in response to the insertion of said second dust collecting chamber means into said housing means to move said tool means and hold the same out of engagement with the oor to be cleaned as long as said second dust collecting chamber means remains inserted in said housing means.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, which includes control means supported by said housing means and operable automatically in response to the insertion of said rst dust collecting chamber means into said housing means to move said tool means into and hold the same in engagement with the lioor to be cleaned as long as said rst dust collecting chamber means remains inserted in said housing means.

1S. An apparatus according to claim 14, in which said control means includes two-arm lever means pi'votably connected to said housing means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said second dust collecting chamber means is provided with abutment means, and which includes control means operatively connectable to said tool means for controlling movement of the latter into and out of engagement with the floor to be cleaned, said control means including twoarm lever means pivotally supported by said housing means and having first cam means provided on one arm of said two-arm lever means and having second cam means provided on the other arm of said two-arm lever means, said first cam means being located in the path of the abutment means during the inserting movement of said second dust collecting chamber means and being operable in response to the insertion of said second dust collecting chamber means into said housing means to move said tool means out of engagement With the oor to be cleaned, and said second cam means being located in the path of an element of said control means and being operable in response to the insertion of said irst dust collecting chamber means into said housing means to cause said tool means to move into engagement with the floor to be cleaned.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the` major portion of the contour of said first dust collecting chamber means is similar to the major portion of the contour of said second dust collecting chamber means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,186,022 6/1965 For'slund t 15-32-8 X 3,482,276 12/1969 Fillery ,15-3Ll9'y WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner C. K. MOORE, Assistant Examiner v U.S. C1. XR. 15-337, 353, 391 

